1. Field of the Invention
THE PRESENT INVENTION relates to an inflatable safety device, and more particularly relates to an inflatable safety device for use in a motor vehicle.
2. Description of Related Art
It has been proposed to use many different types of inflatable safety device in a motor vehicle, including air-bags formed from fabric. A typical fabric air-bag, when inflated, is substantially spherically shaped. If an occupant of the vehicle should strike an air-bag slightly “off-centre”, there is a probability that the occupant will simply slide along the air-bag surface and strike a fixed object within, or forming part of, the motor vehicle cabin. Such problems may arise with front air-bags, and may also arise with side air-bags when the impact is from an oblique angle, relative to the axis of the vehicle, or if an air-bag is positioned at an off-set angle relevant to the occupant, such as a submarining-preventing air-bag mounted in a seat. It is to be noted that a typical seat structure does not allow an air-bag to be mounted so that the air-bag will inflate directly towards the pelvis area of the occupant of the seat.
Here reference is made to GB-A-2,357,466 which discloses a vehicle seat structure provided with an inflatable safety device, which includes an airbag made of metal. The safety device, prior to inflation thereof, is unobtrusive. However, when the safety device has been inflated, the safety device forms a raised barrier at the front part of the seat which minimises the risk of submarining.